August 11, 2011
The Employer Health Care Opportunity
The idea that a healthy workforce makes for a productive
workforce isn’t new to employers. Occupational health, a discipline focused on
health and safety in the workplace, was officially defined by International Labour
Organization and the World Health
Organization in 1950 and various approaches have been in place since that
time. As health care costs in America rise, employers are the ones who face the
brunt of these expenses. Realizing the need to both control costs and maintain
a healthy workforce, many employers are expanding their view of occupational
health and taking a more holistic, proactive approach to overall workplace
health. Cerner continues to be a leader in facilitating this shift, using our
own associate base as a living lab to test and prove new approaches to bring to
our clients in this space.
In a recent article, aptly titled ‘Do-it-yourself
health care in corporate America,’ Jeff Townsend, Cerner executive vice
president and chief of staff, stated, “We think employers are this country’s
best shot at innovating a new health care system.” I couldn’t agree more.
Employers have been and will continue to be the drivers of reform, whether in
health care or elsewhere. A key piece of this expanded focus on workplace
health is the idea of shared accountability for both the cost of care and the
outcome of that care. Creating a framework of accountability that pulls
together the interests of all parties involved is a vital step for employers as
they continue to encourage healthy living habits in their employees.
Here at Cerner, our own efforts to improve workplace health
have been met with great enthusiasm by our associates. Collectively, we’ve lost
more than 20,000 pounds as part of a weight
loss challenge, a program we’ve recently expanded to our global associates.
We also started the KC Slimdown Challenge,
a city-wide weight loss challenge involving other employers and residents here in Kansas
City. We routinely hear positive feedback from our associates on the
experiences they have in our on-site
clinics and pharmacies as
well. We’ve made a commitment to creating a culture of health at our company, a
commitment we encourage other employers to consider. After all, health care is
too important to stay the same, and employers have the opportunity to shape how
the reforms play out.
Dick Flanigan, senior
vice president, leads Cerner’s Research Organization, its Employer services
group and is responsible for new and premier academic and children’s hospital
clients in the U.S. Flanigan oversees
Cerner’s strategy to advance automation of clinical research, public health,
drug and patient safety, and genomics, and to develop innovative technologies
that enable more personalized health. He also directs Cerner’s Employer
initiatives, which encompass development and strategy for on-site employer
pharmacies and clinics, and health and wellness management programs. In addition, Flanigan
leads the premier academic and children’s hospital organization, and drives the
Academic Advisory Board and Pediatric Leadership Council from a senior
executive perspective. He leverages research insights from both councils
throughout the wider base of Cerner clients.